Food – Keep It Simple

As I popped the just- picked, vine-ripened, sun-warmed cherry tomato into my mouth, all the worrisome thoughts of GMO’s and HFCSs faded away. Just a moment of pure, uncomplicated pleasure, enjoying the fruits of my small backyard garden. A refreshing change from some of the nagging concerns that crop up when you try to be a savvy consumer.

Having been immersed lately in films , books and articles about where our food comes from, I’m left with a lot of concerns, and not a lot of answers. What about genetically engineered or modified foods? The suggested change in food labeling that would eliminate any mention of HFCS? What about Frankenfish? Not to mention the fact of the Industrial Organic foods that represent a take over of smaller independents by large commercial firms.

Europe is holding the line against Genetically Modified (or Engineered) food, while in Japan, according to one source, they’ve decided to wait about 10 years to see what happens to our children before allowing GMOs in their own country.

It’s enough to kill your appetite.

Being a positive kind of person, I’ve tried to find some strategies to come to terms with all of this, and yet continue to eat and enjoy every meal that comes my way. Here’s a few suggestions:

Be knowledgeable – First and foremost it’s important to understand the playing field and the cast of characters. If you haven’t seen “Food Inc.” or “The Future of Food” do so. Read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”by Michael Pollan. Follow the news articles on food labeling – you may find that things aren’t as clear-cut as they might seem.

Eat a wide variety of foods – A basic rule that holds up well. By diversifying your menu you get lots of different nutrients, as well as dilute your exposure to any toxic chemicals present in your food.

Eat seasonally – If you’ve ever purchase strawberries in January you know what a good idea this is. Eating what’s currently available increases your chances for getting fresher, more healthful food.

Eat locally – With the cold weather coming, and growing season slowing this is a little more challenging, but still doable. Did you know that on an average a food item in a supermarket has travelled 1500 miles before you buy it? Talk about frequent flyer…

Shop like a Race Car driver – Most markets are laid out with produce, meat, fish, and dairy around the outside aisles of the store. Limit your forays into the inner aisles of cookies, snack food, and prepared meals. Take one solid, mindful lap around the perimeter before exploring the other sections.

Cook at home – from scratch – You know what’s going into your meals, and you might actually find that it’s fun. Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re pressed for time, try making “planned overs” that can extend to several meals, or freeze extras for another meal. There’s a web site I really like for easy, nutritious meals : “NoTakeOut”, it’s designed with busy people in mind.

Enjoy what you eat! – If you’re totally stressed out about eating perfectly healthy in every way, that’s still stress. Stress triggers the body to produce cortisol which makes us store more of what we eat as abdominal fat. It also doesn’t do much for helping us be joyful at mealtime.

Vote with Your $$$$$– Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, influences business like the bottom line. Companies notice what we buy and respond. This is the consumer’s primary way to bring about positive change.

I stopped by the new Fresh Market the other afternoon. It was a lovely experience – all quiet music, subdued lighting, even someone to carry my bags to the car – but I didn’t see a lot of what I was looking for. Don’t get me wrong, the choices were nice and pretty healthful, but they had Smithfield ham and they didn’t talk about grass-fed beef. A lot of the veggies were from Industrial Organic Farms. And….it was very expensive. I think I could do as well, for a lot less, at Price Chopper, Hannaford, or Honest Weight Food Co-Op.

Would love to hear about the way you deal with your food dilemmas.

Remember this, human beings are a bunch of chemicals. We cannot hope to feel well, think well, or be well if we fuel all those complex reactions with junk.

Thanks to you Denise! I’ll pass along your thumbs up to our other contributors as well. They’re a great bunch with so much wisdom and knowledge. Please share this site with your friends – there’s something in it for everyone. By the way Denise, how do you deal with the food “Dilemma”? Any particular strategies you’d like to share? Peace Judi

I wish I had good advice/insight! I’m kind of new to all of this. I actually grew up in a fairly unhealthy household – lots of fast food, soda and whatnot. Now as a 30-something w/a little one I’m interested in making a healthier home for him. So that is kind of how I ended up here.

I started by making all his food as an infant so I could control the ingredients and use the freshest possible. Now as a toddler I check labels, try to buy organic when I can and try to avoid scary additives like preservatives, chemicals/msg and food colorings, etc. It can definitely hard and a little overwhelming to to change your whole lifestyle, but I think it’s worth it. I’m never going to be perfect – I’m not disciplined enough for that, but I’m hoping to instill in him habits that I wish I grew up with while still allowing us to be relaxed about it. (I appreciated the “Enjoy what you eat!” suggestion – I think that’s important too.)

I think another strategy is to find other like-minded people if possible. I think it would be a lot easier to live a healthy lifestyle if you have friends or family (although you can’t choose them) that have the same goals/values as you. I say this as someone who is currently around a lot of people who don’t and it definitely makes it harder! Having blogs like this as a resource, however, definitely helps!

Dear Denise- I would say that you definitely “got it”!. Congrats on all you’re doing for yourself and your child in terms of eating good, healthy food. “Perfection” is not for us mere mortals, but what can be perfect is to begin observing how you feel (or your child’s behavior) after you eat certain foods. Do you feel more energetic? clearer? digestion smooth? Our bodies are the best guides for what serves us and what doesn’t, if we only take the time to listen. Very much like what you say about like-minded people. Swami Kripalu, founder of my yoga tradition, used to say “Group support is stronger than will-power.” I think that’s very true. Peace and good luck with healthy choices. Judi

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